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Posted: Feb 14, 2013

Educational partnership at UAlbany NanoCollege to prepare students for high-tech future

(Nanowerk News) Governor Andrew M. Cuomo yesterday announced a new innovative partnership between Tech Valley High School® (TVHS) and the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) to better prepare students for New York’s growing nanotechnology industry and build a world-class nanotechnology workforce to support the growing industry in New York. Under the new partnership, TVHS will locate at CNSE’s Albany NanoTech Complex at the conclusion of its current lease and collaborate with CNSE on coordinated educational, training, and outreach initiatives targeting the 21st century disciplines of nanoscale science and engineering.

“As the State continues to grow its nanotechnology industry, it is important that we educate and train the future generation of engineers and visionaries to keep New York at the forefront of this field,” said Governor Cuomo. “That is why this partnership between Tech Valley High School and the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering is so important. It will give New York students a well-rounded, high quality education with a major focus on science, mathematics, engineering and technology so that they are prepared for college and the workforce. These are the types of creative partnerships that will move the Empire State forward.”

Lt. Governor Robert Duffy said, “I am pleased about this partnership between the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and Tech Valley High School, which will continue to give New York students a world-class education in an increasingly emerging, prominent field. I applaud Governor Cuomo for his leadership in developing New York State, and especially our youth, toward innovation and economic growth, which further positions our State at the center of the global nanotechnology industry.”

“As Governor Andrew Cuomo has championed New York’s rise as a global leader in nanotechnology education, innovation, and economic growth, this partnership between Tech Valley High School and the NanoCollege is both timely and essential in helping to prepare our next generation of innovators,” said Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, Senior Vice President and CEO of CNSE. “We are delighted to work with the pioneering leadership of Tech Valley High School to develop groundbreaking educational and training programs for students, and excited with the synergy that will be realized by locating the visionary Tech Valley High School together with CNSE in a one-of-a-kind hub for nanoscale learning and discovery.”

“This game-changing partnership with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering is an exciting and important step forward on a new journey that will further identify Tech Valley High School as an educational institution for the 21st century,” said Dr. James N. Baldwin, District Superintendent of Questar III BOCES. “This opportunity to co-locate and collaborate with CNSE, recognized globally as the world leader in nanotechnology education, research, and economic growth, will open new doors for our students while enhancing our ability to provide a one-of-a-kind high school education.”

“The true beneficiaries of this innovative partnership with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering are the 120,000 students of the Tech Valley Region,” said Dr. Charles S. Dedrick, District Superintendent of Capital Region BOCES. “This is an incredible opportunity to uniquely prepare our students for higher education and high-tech careers, as they engage in cutting-edge nanoscale education and research, together with the world’s premier college of nanotechnology and alongside the industry’s corporate giants. We are thrilled with this collaboration and can’t wait to get started.”

TVHS is expected to relocate to CNSE’s Albany NanoTech Complex by September 2014, in time for the start of the 2014-2015 academic year. TVHS will lease more than 22,000 square feet of state-of-the-art space – larger than its current location in Rensselaer – in which it will set up modern classrooms and high-tech laboratories to be used by its students and teachers. In addition, TVHS will have access to common space at CNSE, such as technology-equipped auditoriums, to enable opportunities for interactive long-distance learning and collaboration.

The partnership between CNSE and TVHS will leverage CNSE’s global leadership in nanotechnology education to integrate foundational nanoscale science and engineering principles into TVHS’ nationally-recognized, project-based, high-school science curriculum. This integration will also serve as a one-of-a-kind development platform for expanding nanoscale science and engineering project modules into introductory, university-level nanotech curricula. It will enable a seamless transition of TVHS students to university study in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including the groundbreaking nanoscience and nanoengineering baccalaureate programs at CNSE.

Additionally, as K-12 education and outreach to local communities is a central feature of both institutions, the co-location-based partnership between CNSE and TVHS will create a new and powerful conduit for providing high-impact, cutting-edge science and technology content to a broader audience of regional, state, and national educators. This will include innovative nanotechnology-based project modules for middle and high schools across New York; pioneering K-12 teacher training and development programs; and exciting new opportunities for STEM engagement for groups typically underrepresented in science and engineering.

Tech Valley High School was created in 2007 through a unique collaboration between two regional BOCES, Capital Region and Questar III, and the resources they will bring to the alliance will offer additional opportunities to impact education in New York State. In its six years of existence, Tech Valley High School has provided professional development training in STEM, project-based learning, and other innovative education practices to approximately 3,000 teachers, education professionals, and business leaders. TVHS aims to provide today’s students with the skills necessary to be successful in college and in tomorrow’s workforce. The theme of the school is a strong emphasis on math, science and technology. However, students receive a well-rounded education that will prepare them to compete in the growing high-tech and global economy that is emerging in the Capital Region’s Tech Valley.

During the current school year, approximately 125 students attend TVHS. As it grows, an estimated 40 students are expected to join the school each year. This allows students to receive individualized attention, yet work collaboratively with their peers.

CNSE is the first college in the world dedicated to education, research, development and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience and nanoeconomics. With more than $14 billion in high-tech investments, CNSE represents the world’s most advanced university-driven research enterprise, offering students a one-of-a-kind academic experience and providing over 300 corporate partners access to an unmatched ecosystem for leading-edge R&D and commercialization of nanotechnology innovations. CNSE’s footprint spans upstate New York, including its Albany NanoTech Complex, an 800,000-square-foot megaplex with the only fully-integrated, 300mm wafer, computer chip pilot prototyping and demonstration line within 85,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanrooms. More than 3,100 scientists, researchers, engineers, students and faculty work here, from companies including IBM, Intel, GlobalFoundries, SEMATECH, Samsung, TSMC, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, ASML and Lam Research. An expansion, part of which will house the world’s first Global 450mm Consortium, will add nearly 500,000 square feet of next-generation infrastructure, 50,000 square feet of cleanrooms, and over 1,000 scientists, researchers and engineers from CNSE and global corporations. CNSE’s Solar Energy Development Center in Halfmoon provides a prototyping and demonstration line for CIGS solar cells, supporting its leadership of the U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium (PVMC). CNSE’s Smart System Technology and Commercialization Center of Excellence (STC) in Rochester offers world-class capabilities for MEMS fabrication and packaging. CNSE co-founded and manages operations at the Computer Chip Commercialization Center at SUNYIT in Utica and is co-founder of the Nanotechnology Innovation and Commercialization Excelerator in Syracuse. For information, visit www.cnse.albany.edu.

Tech Valley High School provides a unique and innovative student-centered educational opportunity, engages students in current emerging technologies and supports the growth and economy of the region. For information, visit www.techvalleyhigh.org.

Source: CNSE

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